We hate him for his church?

In the wake of the first arrest stemming from last year’s post-Stanley Cup Final riot, Vancouver Canucks “fans” continue to prove they are still pathetically bitter about last year’s loss. Congrats to the idiots in the City of Vancouver, you’ve done it again.

In the latest exhibit of hockey-oriented idiocy, this week an individual chose to write obscenities on the Church that Vancouver native Milan Lucic and his family call home.

Vancouver native Milan Lucic can especially testify to the insanity of the city’s reaction to losing another Stanley Cup.

Lucic was once one of Vancouver’s proudest exports, hailed for his ability to throw big hits and make magic on the ice.

Today however, Lucic and his family continue to experience the adversarial hatred that Canucks fans have recently become known for.

Lucic was forced to downscale his Stanley Cup celebrations in Vancouver over this past summer due to security concerns, making this week’s graffiti the second Lucic family related incident involving Canucks fans.

Family was once considered sacred in hockey circles, but today the name “Lucic” is met with hate and resistance in the city of Vancouver.

Wearing a black and gold #17 may as well be considered suicide on Granville Street, all for playing the game we love with Stanley Cup calibre passion and intensity.

Today the pride of East Vancouver can’t even eat in his home city without being worried about some idiot spitting in his food.

What hockey fans everywhere have to realize, is that the colours on a jersey don’t change the man behind the pads.

He's one of our own! Remember human beings are behind the pads and pucks.

How did this happen? Where did we go wrong? Will things ever change?

As riot participants continue to be punished and Canucks fans continue to attempt to repair the damage done by lower life-forms in society, there remains light at the end of the tunnel for Canucks fans and Vancouver residents.

Only a day after the graffiti appeared, Burnaby childrenwere out in force Friday morning to attempt to help clean up the mess.

That’s right, kids likely too immature to fully grasp the concept of religion are now the representatives of the good that still exists within the domain of Canucks fans.

So as the home team gears up for a bitter rivalry renewal against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday, I ask fans to think past the colours on the sweaters of our heroes, and remember the human beings behind the pads and pucks.

Fans would have fallen flat on their faces for Lucic if the hockey gods had dressed him in Blue and Green, so why can’t we accept the man for what he is when he returns home?

It’s time fans learned a lesson from Lucic and embraced our differences with an amazing athlete and proud Vancouverite.

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